Neuroimaging Studies of Depression
in Parkinson's Disease

The University of Kentucky has been awarded a four-year grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the effects of Parkinson's disease on mood, cognitive function, and neural response.

Depression is a frequent and potentially serious complication of Parkinson's disease. Studies suggest that about 40 percent of Parkinson's patients are depressed. Depressed Parkinson's patients are known to experience greater loss of memory, verbal fluency and ability to name common objects, and problem-solving skills and mental flexibiliy than non-depressed Parkinson's patients.

Despite the widespread prevalence of depression in Parkinson's disease and its negative impact on quality of life, little research has been done to determine its neural underpinnings.

Neuorimaging Studies of Depression in Parkinson's Disease will compare depressed and non-depressed Parkinson's patients with demographically matched healthy controls to determine the effect of Parkinson's disease on neural mechanisms. Parkinson's patients will be tested both when they are taking their medication and when they are not.

Under the leadership of Dr. Lee Xenakis Blonder, this study assembles a team from the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center, and the College of Medicine Departments of Behavioral Science, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Neurology, and Psychiatry. Investigators will use structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), neurological examinations, and neuropsychiatric testing to assess the effects of Parkinson’s disease on brain anatomy and patterns of brain activation.

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging